Rollin’ Through the Weekend

Rain, rain, go away..come again some other day.

Honestly, for the past week the days have been dragging on with gloomy gray skies and a constant stream of rain that seems never-ending! I really hope Mother Nature will decide to be nice to Minnesota for once during the summer—fingers crossed!

I am enjoying my last week of summer vacation (I officially start work this coming Thursday), and I decided to come home to visit my parents for the weekend since I probably won’t make it up north again due to my future schedule. We had some grad parties to attend and I was asked to make a pasta salad for one of them. I am not a fan of boxed mixes, but in cases when you’re making big amounts, it just makes things easier.

I started with a the Classic Suddenly Pasta Salad mix.

Added in some pepperoni, spinach, and cherry tomatoes.

 

And it turned out like this—tasty!

The night we got home, we went to the local Pizza Ranch restaurant. I like it because during the day, you order off the menu, but come evening, it turns into an all-you-can-eat buffet. =)

I had a salad, some mashed potatoes, a slice of California Chicken Pizza (Chicken, Green Peppers, Tomato, Onion, Garlic Sauce), and a few slices of the Prairie pizza (Mushrooms, Onions, Black & Green Olives, Green Peppers). And I had to have a piece of their Ranch Cheesy Bread as well!

And of course, being home, I had to make one of my family’s favorite desserts—an Angel Food Cake Roll. Since strawberries are in season, I decided that sealed the deal—a Strawberry Cream Roll.

Strawberry Cream Roll

Serves 10

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) angel food cake mix

5 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

1 cup (8 ounces) strawberry yogurt

1 package (1 ounce) instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix

3 drops red food coloring, optional

2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping

1 c sliced strawberries

Directions:

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper. Prepare cake according to package directions.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes.

Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up jelly-roll style in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, pudding mix and food coloring if desired. Fold in whipped topping.

Thinly slice strawberries.

Unroll cake; spread filling evenly over cake to within 1/2 in. of edges. Sprinkle strawberries evenly. Roll up. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before slicing. Garnish with sliced strawberries.

Have you ever made a cake roll??

Easter Success

A new week already!

Hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend. In my opinion it was too short, but aren’t weekends always that way? Anyways, this week will be a short one for me. I am currently in Minneapolis for a few days to do some spring shopping, so that should be a fun little getaway.

Easter here was a busy Sunday. I was in the kitchen from 12-5 preparing the meal, but got outside a bit to enjoy the high 60’s temps and sunny blue skies. I was a little nervous on how I could cook everything to get done at the same time, but I did it! I’ve learned when cooking for a crowd it helps to not panic, but instead sit down a few days before and write down a plan of action. (Groceries to buy, dishes that can be prepped the night ahead, how the oven is going to be occupied, etc.)

Here’s how I planned:

• 2 days before: Get groceries(try grouping things in the fridge/freezer to make it easier come cooking time), get all recipes together in one spot(envelopes are handy),and write down all cooking times and temps on one sheet of paper. Thawed turkey out.
• 1 day before: Make sure you have all cooking utensils and equipment necessary beforehand. I made the green bean corn casserole(not adding cracker topping yet) and the wild rice stuffing that night.
• The day of the get-together: With the plan to eat at 5 o’clock, I baked the angel food cake at 10 am. I also cleaned, chopped, and soaked the strawberries in sugar. Let it cool till 11, sliced it and put in the fridge. At 11:30, sliced up onions and apples for the turkey, injected it, and had it in the oven by noon. Next I prepped the Bob’s Red Mill Potato Bread, which I eventually made into rolls. They take about a good 3 hrs from start to finish. At around 4 I popped the buns into the oven to finish cooking. Then I mixed the cream cheese filling for the cake and layered that and the strawberries on. I finished by frosting it in whipped cream and garnishing with more strawberries and almonds. 4:30 came and I popped in the 2 casseroles and took the buns out. Prepped the instant mashed potato and made the gravy on the stove. Turkey came out at a little before 5, and we all sat down to eat shortly after.
• Bon appétit!

Apple&Onion Cajun Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1-15 lb turkey
• 2 apples
• 2 red onions
• 14 sprigs of sage
• 10 injections of Creole Butter (see photo below)

• 1/2 stick of butter, melted

Directions:

Prepare turkey by cleaning it out.

Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Add a quarter inch of water into the bottom of the pan. Inject turkey with Creole Butter and. Brush the top of the turkey with butter.

Cut up apples and onions into wedges and scatter throughout the pan along with the sage.

Bake at 375 F for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.)  Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Notes: This turkey was by far the most moist turkey I have had—even the turkey legs were moist and usually they are on the dry side. The apples, onions, and sage really helped add flavor and were good to eat afterwards too.

Green Bean & Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 package (16 ounces) frozen French-style green beans, thawed

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1/4 cup crushed reduced-fat cheese crackers

Refrigerated butter-flavored spray

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, cheese and onion. Stir in the beans and corn. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Uncover; sprinkle cracker crumbs around the edges. Spritz several times with butter-flavored spray. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and edges are lightly browned. Yield: 7 servings.

Notes: This recipe was actually voted the best of all—it’s light and healthy, yet you wouldn’t guess it by a long shot!

Mom’s Stunning Sausage Stuffing

Recipe here.

Notes: This is really the only way I will eat rice—it’s been around at our family holidays ever since I can remember—and it makes a lot, so it’s perfect!

Bob’s Red Mill Potato Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Bob’s Red Mill's Potato Bread
• 2 tsp oil
• Water
• Butter spray

Directions:

• Follow mixing directions on package, and follow all steps exactly up until forming into a loaf.
• Instead roll into 12 balls and place in a lightly greased 8 x 8 baking dish. Bake a directed.
• Top with butter spray while still warm, and serve.

Notes: The company sent me these awhile back to review and I wanted to save them for a special occasion. They are very dense rolls being they are potato bread, but they browned and baked well.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

• 4  cups  sliced strawberries
• 3/4  cup  sugar, divided
• 2  tablespoons  evaporated skim milk
• 1  (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 angel food cake baked in 2- 9 x 12 loaf pans
• 3  tablespoons  triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur) or orange juice, divided
• 1  (8-ounce) tub frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• 2  tablespoons  sliced almonds

Directions:

• Combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl; cover and let stand 1 hour. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until smooth.
• Cut cake horizontally into 2 layers using a serrated knife; place bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with 1 tablespoon liqueur, and spread half of cream cheese mixture over cake. Spoon one-third of strawberries over cream cheese mixture using a slotted spoon. Repeat layers, ending with cake and liqueur. Spread whipped topping over top and sides of cake. Cover; chill 30 minutes. Arrange remaining strawberries on top of cake before serving; sprinkle with almonds.

Notes: This was easy to prepare, although I am still trying to find a fool-proof and clean method for slicing a cake in half horizontally. Very appealing in color and presentation—and I loved the combo of cream cheese and angel food cake. This was a keeper for sure!

Ode to Peanut Butter

In case you didn’t know, March is proclaimed National Peanut Month. What better way to start a new month than to celebrate by eating, making, or buying something peanut butter flavored? Not only is it a dreamy, creamy, protein-packed powerhouse in a jar, it has numerous health benefits as well.

--Based on 2 Tbsp serving--

• Calories ---10% (190 calories)---Energy!
• Protein ---13% (8g)---Needed to repair body tissues and develop new ones, to maintain fluid levels and to make antibodies which ward off disease and infection.
• Fiber ---8% (2g)---Fiber reduces the risk of some types of cancer, helps control blood sugar levels and may help reduce the level of cholesterol in your blood.
• Vitamin E ---22% (2mg)---Vital antioxidant which protects Vitamin A and body's cells and tissues from damage. Important for the immune system. May aid in the prevention of tumor growth.
• Niacin ---24% (4mg)---Important in the release of energy from the food we eat and the maintenance of healthy skin, the nervous system and the digestive tract.
• Folate ---7.5% (30mcg)---Important for the development of new cells, particularly during growth and pregnancy.
• Magnesium ---15% (52mg)---Important in the building of bones and teeth, creation of protein, transmission of nerve impulses and maintenance of body temperature.
• Phosphorus ---13% (104mg)---Component of all soft tissues. Fundamental to growth and maintenance of bones and teeth.

The History of Peanut Butter

There are many claims about the origin of peanut butter. Africans ground peanuts into stews as early as the 15th century. The Chinese have crushed peanuts into creamy sauces for centuries. Civil War soldiers dined on 'peanut porridge.' These uses, however, bore little resemblance to peanut butter as it is known today.

In 1890, an unknown St. Louis physician supposedly encouraged the owner of a food products company, George A. Bayle Jr., to process and package ground peanut paste as a nutritious protein substitute for people with poor teeth who couldn't chew meat. The physician apparently had experimented by grinding peanuts in his hand-cranked meat grinder. Bayle mechanized the process and began selling peanut butter out of barrels for about 6¢ per pound.

Peanut Butter As We Know It Today

In 1922, Joseph L. Rosefield began selling a number of brands of peanut butter in California. These peanut butters were churned like butter so they were smoother than the gritty peanut butters of the day. He soon received the first patent for a shelf-stable peanut butter which would stay fresh for up to a year because the oil didn't separate from the peanut butter.

One of the first companies to adopt this new process was Swift & Company for its E.K. Pond peanut butter ~ renamed Peter Pan in 1928. In 1932, Rosefield had a dispute with Peter Pan and began producing peanut butter under the Skippy label the following year. Rosefield created the first crunchy style peanut butter two years later by adding chopped peanuts into creamy peanut butter at the end of the manufacturing process.

In 1955, Procter & Gamble entered the peanut butter business by acquiring W.T. Young Foods in Lexington, Kentucky, makers of Big Top Peanut Butter. They introduced Jif in 1958 and now operate the world's largest peanut butter plant ~ churning out 250,000 jars every day!

And Peanut Butter has recently made even more of mark in the food world..it’s no longer possible to just pick from crunchy or creamy, Skippy or Jiff, check out some of my favorite peanut butters!!

• PB & Co. peanut butters are out of this world—make sure to try the Double Chocolate Dreams, White Chocolate Wonderful, and the Cinnamon Raisin Swirl to name a few!
• PB2 is a peanut butter in powdered form—mix it with water and you get a creamy peanut butter ready for eating. This is perfect for travel since it takes up little space in powder form and only needs water to be mixed.
• FitNutz peanut butter is yet another powdered peanut butter mix—if you haven’t tried the powder, don’t shoot it down right away, it’s highly comparable to the stuff in a jar!
• Justin’s Nut Butter comes in convenient squeeze backs for on-the-go snacking or just to make sure you don’t go overboard with a whole jar! My favorite is definitely the Cinnamon Peanut Butter! =)

Do  I already have you craving some peanut butter flavor? How about satisfying it with one of my peanut butter recipes?

• Nut Over Nibbles cookies
• Peanut Butter Bombs
• German Chocolate PB Kisses
• Peanut Buttery Bars
• PB & J Cupcakes
• PB Cup Pie

What is your all-time favorite recipe containing peanut butter??

And of course I couldn’t start the month of March out without celebrating a bit early. Check out my new PB creation!!

Choco-PB Banana Roll

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Angel Food Cake mix
• 1 1.4-oz box of instant sugar-free(or regular if you choose) chocolate pudding mix—half cup reserved for drizzling.
• 1/2 c cold milk—I used Almond Breeze
• 1 large banana
• 1/4 c powdered sugar, for sprinkling
• 2 Tbsp PB2 or 2 Tbsp creamy PB

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix cake mix and water until combined. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 in. pan with waxed paper or tinfoil and spray with cooking spray. Carefully pour batter evenly over pan. Let bake for 17-20 minutes until cakes springs back and is lightly browned on edges.

Meanwhile take a kitchen towel(or use a pillowcase like me)and sprinkle it evenly with the powdered sugar.

Take cake out and immediately invert on to prepared towel and roll up starting the long way. Carefully move to cooling rack and allow to completely cool, about 45 minutes.

Mix pudding and milk together with wire whisk for about two minutes—let sit for 5 minutes. Add PB2 powder, or if using real peanut butter, melt slightly in the microwave and incorporate into pudding mix..remember to reserve 1/2 c at this point. Slice banana into small slices.

Carefully unroll the cake leaving the towel below it. Spread pudding evenly over inside of the rolled cake, topping with bananas. Re-roll the cake without the towel and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle pudding over individual slices right before serving.

Thanksgiving Day Replay

How did your Thanksgiving turn out?!

Mine was amazing—the best holiday in a long time for no specific reason, I just really needed some family time! And I put together the whole turkey day meal which was a first. It was a lot of work, but obviously I loved it, or I wouldn’t have volunteered :-) I really feel like the route I want to go career wise is to be a personal chef. I can’t see myself working in a giant restaurant establishment, but I can see myself cooking away 24/7 in someone’s kitchen for their family.  Anyone have any information on becoming/training for a personal chef?

We held Thanksgiving out at my grandparents house with our family. I am so thankful that I have a family even though it’s small. Do you have a big family that get together for holidays?

Like I promised, here’s the pictures and recipes from my Thanksgiving day. I have plenty of leftovers—so stay tuned for a leftover recipe makeover tomorrow!

Wednesday was the day of prep!

 

Like I said before, I decided on this turkey recipe to make. The cranberry relish had to be made and slathered on the turkey a night in advance to marinate. This turkey turned out divine—moist, tender, slightly sweet with a hearty aftertaste. I would make it again in a heartbeat. I also added a lot of rosemary to pump it up as well.

(Grandpa carving the turkey) 

My mom made her stuffing in advance as well. This is her “famous” recipe, so I had to pry a bit to get her to share—thanks mom! Please try it, you’ll love it =)

Mom’s Stunning Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 1 lb wild rice
• 1 lb maple flavored sausage
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large granny smith, chopped
• 1 c apple juice
• 1/2 c orange juice
• 1 8 oz can mushrooms
• 8 oz applesauce
• 14.5 oz can of chicken broth
• 2 tsp garlic

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Cook wild rice according to package instructions.
• Meanwhile in another deep skillet add sausage to a pan—crumble and cook until browned. Add all chopped ingredients, garlic, juices, and applesauce to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Get a large roasting pan and pour both pans into one, stirring until thoroughly combined.
• Put in preheated oven for 1 hour covered with foil.

Come Thanksgiving morning, I whipped together these Cheesy Good Cornbread Muffins—wowza were they great! Very moist, flavorful, and overall a definite keeper. Making them in muffin cups was a lot easier for cleanup as well.

Of course some kind of squash needs to appear at any shindig I am hosting. I chose to make this I Can’t Believe It’s Not Sweet Potato Pie, which I ended up added an extra cup of sweet potato puree instead of just the butternut squash. I also added a dusting of brown sugar to the top to give it a finishing crust.

Amazing & barely any leftovers in sight!

My grandpa also made a bread-based stuffing which was amazing, and we had mashed potatoes, garlic bread and tossed salads as well. This was only my first plate ha ha:

And where’s the pie you ask? Member I told you I decided to make this stunning cake instead—well it stole the show and the pie was not missed!

I hope you all enjoyed your day and  had fun looking at mine. From my family to yours—happy holidays!

Getaway and Homebound

Hey all! No I didn’t fall of the edge of the earth—just on a mini-vacation! I decided to take vacation 2 days early for Thanksgiving, which I desperately needed. Nothing a little fun in the cities and finally coming home can’t help! =) It was one of those things where Thanksgiving was planned to be at my new apartment, but I just was feeling so overwhelmed with college and life in general that I really wanted to trek home to be with the family for a week. I have a lot of catching up to do with blogs and such, so I will be commenting soon!

I started off my vacation this past Friday by making a pit stop in Minneapolis to see the Macy’s Christmas display which I always see on the news around the holidays, and so this was the perfect opportunity to get there. If you are ever in the area from November 21-December 30th, head downtown to check it out—it’s free and of course there’s Mrs. Claus baked goodies—can you say the cutest gingerbread men ever??

Then I headed up north and spent a whole day with my grandpa and grandma which I haven't done in a long time. If you’re ever in the Hibbing area, definitely put Zimmy’s on your list of restaurants to try out. It’s dedicated to Bob Dylan since that is his old stomping grounds—great food and such a fun musical atmosphere. I ordered a California veggie burger with a side of tomato basil soup. I usually eat soy burgers, so a veggie burger was a nice change—not dry, but instead surprisingly flavorful and juicy! I had a hard time choosing between the veggie or the black bean burger, but I was satisfied with my final decision.

And two of my favorite people in the whole world:

Then I came home to this:

One happy bulldog!

Since I am driving back home this Friday, I won’t be able to hit up the Black Friday sales—so instead I decided to do a pre-Black Friday! I got so many new clothes, boots, and Christmas decorations, I don’t even need Black Friday now! Do you head out early like crazy?!

And since I shopped like crazy, I needed to fuel up at the good ol’ Old Country Buffett. The highlight was my favorite grilled walleye, grilled veggies, mashed potatoes, and tomato basil soup—yum!

And now I am sitting down after a long day of Thanksgiving prep! Wowee—I will sure be ready to eat tomorrow! Here’s the dinner agenda:

• Roasted Turkey Breast with Spiced Cranberry Glaze
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Sweet Potato Pie
• Cheesy Good Cornbread Muffins
• My Mom’s Famous Stuffing (recipe soon!)
• The best mashed potatoes
• Pumpkin Angel Food Cake w/Cinnamon-Cream Filling (voted over pumpkin cheesecake!!)

Plus more sides and such—all pictures and recipes will be up soon! Can’t wait to see how all of you enjoy your day.

 I hope you all are having a beyond wonderful start to the holiday season & remember all things you are thankful for in your life. Oh and of course…don’t eat too much turkey!! =)

I Found My Fall Angel

---Finally Friday!!---

Have you ever combined two good foods to get something extraordinary? That’s what happened with this recipe. Two things a lot of people probably have lying around their pantry paired together to create one delicious dessert. Usually I will make something, eat it throughout the week, and get sick of it. With this one, I made it Sunday and wish I had made more! This would be perfect for a fall time/Halloween get together too.

 

 +  =

 

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake with Cinnamon-Cream Filling

Serves:12

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 box Betty Crocker® white angel food cake mix
• 1 tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 cup cold water

Cinnamon-Cream Filling

• 2 cups Cool Whip
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1.Move oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 350°F. In extra-large glass or metal bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. Pour into ungreased 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan.

2.Bake 37 to 47 minutes or until crust is dark golden brown and cracks are dry. Immediately turn pan upside down onto heatproof funnel or glass bottle. Let hang about 2 hours or until cake is completely cool. Loosen cake from side of pan with knife or long metal spatula. Turn cake upside down onto serving plate.

3.In chilled large bowl, beat cool whip and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Fold in cinnamon. Cut cake horizontally in half to make 2 even layers. Spread half of the filling on bottom layer; replace top of cake. Spread remaining filling on top of cake. Sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired.

Will all the pumpkin recipes floating around this time a year, I would definitely recommend adding this to your list of “must makes”! Let me know if you make it and how you like it =)

The blogenda for next week:

• A new cookie line review
• A pie—oh my!
• A easy fall side dish

Sweet As An Angel, But Sinfully Good

  It was my great-grandma’s 91st birthday on Tuesday and the poor thing is still in the hospital struggling with her hip replacement—it has worn out(they only last about 10 yrs or so), and now she is finally scheduled for surgery next Wednesday to fix it up! So fingers crossed all will go well! I feel so blessed to have a great-grandma because not many people get the chance to develop that relationship. So when my grandma asked me to make the cake(Why does she even ask? She knows the answer!), I said I was on it. I didn’t want to do the traditional birthday cake because my great-grandma is no traditional gal! She was a cook extraordinaire teaching culinary classes at the local college, and she was a nutritionist as well! So I was looking to impress her and I managed to pull it off! Do you agree?

I decided to make my first fruit-filled roll cake due to the abundance of blueberries(they were BOGO!), and a can of cherry pie filling that’s been calling my name. I started with a boxed Pillsbury Angel Food Cake Mix to lighten it up a bit—and plus Angel Food Cake pairs fabulous with tart berries for a great summer treat. Check out the jelly-roll process—I was a little nervous at first, but it worked out great!

Berrylicious Angel Food Cake Roll

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 1 box Angel Food Cake Mix
• 1 1/4 C Water
• 1 {21oz) can Cherry Pie Filling (I used light—same price)
• 1/2 c Fresh Blueberries
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 tub of Vanilla Frosting (next I am doing cream cheese!)
• 2 Tbsp of chopped walnuts
• Hershey’s chocolate syrup
• 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix cake mix and water until combined. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 in. pan with waxed paper or tinfoil and spray with cooking spray. Carefully pour batter evenly over pan. Let bake for 17-20 minutes until cakes springs back and is lightly browned on edges.
• Meanwhile take a kitchen towel(or use a pillowcase like me)and sprinkle it evenly with the powdered sugar. Then mix berries, pie filling, and almond extract in a small bowl.
• Take cake out and immediately invert on to prepared towel and roll up starting the long way. Carefully move to cooling rack and allow to completely cool, about 45 minutes.

• Once cake is cooled, carefully unroll and spoon berry filling evenly inside.

• Then re-roll the cake, leaving the towel out, but still using it to keep cake sealed while you prepare for the next step.
• Take out frosting and microwave with top off for about 15 seconds. Trim the ends off the cake if they aren’t even and frost the cake liberally making sure to cover ends completely.
• Once frosted, drizzle with chocolate glaze and sprinkle with walnuts.
• Cut and serve! Oh, and enjoy! :-)

It’s berry beautiful!

Happy Birthday My Lovely Meme!